וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֲלֵהֶ֜ם יִשְׂרָאֵ֣ל אֲבִיהֶ֗ם אִם־כֵּ֣ן ׀ אֵפוֹא֒ זֹ֣את עֲשׂ֔וּ קְח֞וּ מִזִּמְרַ֤ת הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ בִּכְלֵיכֶ֔ם וְהוֹרִ֥ידוּ לָאִ֖ישׁ מִנְחָ֑ה מְעַ֤ט צֳרִי֙ וּמְעַ֣ט דְּבַ֔שׁ נְכֹאת֙ וָלֹ֔ט בָּטְנִ֖ים וּשְׁקֵדִֽים׃
And their father Israel said unto them, “If it must be so now, do this: take of the choice fruits of the land in your vessels, and carry down the man a present, a little balm, and a little honey, spicery and ladanum, nuts, and almonds.”
Classical midrash on the contents of the gift.
מְעַט צֳרִי וּמְעַט דְּבַשׁ... בָּטְנִים וּשְׁקֵדִים. מִנְחָה מִן הַמֻּבְחָר שֶׁל אֶרֶץ כְּנַעַן.
English of Core Text: “A little balm and a little honey… nuts and almonds.” A gift of the choicest products of the land of Canaan.
On the daf / in context: The midrash sees Yaakov’s selection of the gift as both practical diplomacy and a quiet assertion of the land’s remaining quality even in famine.
Type of Learning: Derash on the verse (classic midrash) — not a formal named middah of the 13.
What Is Learned: Even in extremity Yaakov sends a gift of the land’s distinctive produce; the gesture is both a bid for favor and a reminder of the identity of those who bring it.